Rio's most romantic restaurants

Dining ideas for Valentine's Day

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Whether on a first date or the umpteenth Valentine's Day dinner, we've picked out our top restaurants to suit most tastes, whichever part of the city you find yourself in.

Sleeping beauty

Cafeína offers up a 'lover's basket' (R$98.90) loaded with brownies, chocolates, croissants, cakes and plenty more besides to fuel the romance if you want to start the day as you mean to continiue. In bed.

Familiar territory

The Leme classic D'Amici is something of a family favourite, so not one for the sweep-off-the-feet first date perhaps, but the special Valentine's menu is always interesting (shrimp flambéed in champagne should stir the passions) as long as you are prepared to splash a considerable bit of cash.

Spanish inquisition

São Conrado restaurant Eñe has produced a one-off selection for the evening to entice couples out of their comfort zone and into a tasting menu (R$145 or R$278 with wine pairing) that includes suckling pig and their famous chocolate-laden 'churros'.

Calorie counter

Walking the tightrope of trying to appease the health-coscious without unintended insult, the salads and fish at Gula Gula are always popular among the carioca girls. Sesame chicken with mango and mushrooms (R$26) and fish tartar with pineapple (R$18) steal the show.

Stylish romantics

From the inside out, Oui Oui drips with romance and the dishes are the perfect size for ordering up a selection and sharing. Alternatively, the special Valentine's menu (R$200 for two) covers an amuse bouche, Grana Padano brulée and Risoni with shrimp and asparagus tips.

Nightlife lovers

Q Bar on Rua Dias Fereira has a good reputation for a heady cocktail menu, but being a 'gastro-bar', the Valentine's dinner (R$99), as ever soundtracked by some bumping house music and chatty groups, should make for a less intense one-on-one occasion.

Beach-chic

Ristorante Vieira Souto has recently given this end of Ipanema a sharp dose of Italian class, and for a romantic post-dinner stroll there can be few better locations than the beach promenade. A special menu for the day (R$160 per person) includes a show-stopping starter of champagne and caviar sorbet.